Then, nobody cares if I post about a funny bumper sticker I saw yesterday? (NO, it's not political)

:-)

GD = "general discussion" or [censored]?

General Discussion, but the other one works too :-)

Just so I am clear on this:
If we had an Off Topic Forum and this GD one was restricted only to sailing topics, does that mean that "Test" would have to be moved to the Off Topic Forum?

And does it mean that the thread about book recommendations would have to be split so that the one on this thread was only for sailing-related books, and the non-sailing-related book recommendations would have to be moved to a thread on the Off Topic Forum?

And, since there is no way to prevent occasional hijacks of threads when somebody has a tangential thought that might not be sailing related, would I have to immediately create a new thread for that in "Off Topic Forum" and move that "thought" over there?

Just trying to figure out some of the complications.

It doesn't have to be complicated.


There will some posts in the wrong forum, but this way, ALL Off Topic, or not Directly sailing related, will have it's won forum and many of their won threads. Similar to, say, the f-18 froum.

I've always felt that this forum, should stay the same- generic sailing info, ideas, etc.

We have a lot of other forums, should we then consider just having one forum again?

Rick/Mary, I use a variety of computers (some shared), so always being remembered isn't a good thing.

Mike

Look at how many people respond to Test, and Drill baby (part 1 and 2).... these "Off topic" threads get a TON of traffic...

And the last time this was brought up... it turned into Rick talking about his squirrel problems, and we all learned so much about trapping, killing and turning them into gumbo... that was priceless!

What difference does it make? Anybody can read our forums without logging in or being "remembered."

Are you thinking that somebody else on one of those computers will for some reason go to catsailor.com and then click on Open Forum and then post something that will look like it is coming from you?

I like it! Sounds like a good plot for a mystery novel.

Says the lady with a Da Vinci avitar....hmmmmm

Okay, down here in the Keys the problem is not squirrels, it is people living in the jungle. Just last night two sheriff's deputies were searching the jungle across from our house for a "derelict" who had been reported by a neighbor.

They didn't find him, but I am hoping he will show up again, because I need somebody to help with yard work. I'm sure he is just a victim of the recession, and we should all do our part to help people in need.

A few weeks ago another "derelict," whom I have nicknamed Sailor Jim, was sitting on the sidewalk outside the Winn-Dixie making some really pretty things out of palm fronds that he claimed to have harvested himself by climbing palm trees. He said he was living on his sailboat, anchored off of Gilbert's, and was working his way back to Key West after being up in Miami at the VA Hospital for some extensive treatments for something.

Having been liveaboards ourselves once when we were down and out, I sympathized and gave him $20 for a couple of his palm weavings.

The next time I saw him there, he asked if I wanted to buy anything, and I told him I had already donated. He said, "Yeah, I know, but I spent it all on beer."

I'm so happy that I could be of help.

Did any of them have anything made of blue pentex sail cloth?

Perhaps Tami has a recipes for derelicts

Jake, I thought we were "moving on"..... (just kidding, glad you can laugh about it)

Please move all non-sailing topics off this board. 3 of the first 10 non sticky theads are non-sailing topics...

I dont read books.. so thats getting old very quickly.. (unless ebooks count?)

My suggestion would be to have two forums under the current heading "general discussion"

rename this fourm to "sailing Open forum/Discussion" and add the new "non sailing forum/discussion" beside it.

I would also suggest that if in 6 months time and no one uses the new forum, simply delete it, no harm, no foul.

Cheers

Dazz.

You guys are ruining my hijack attempt!

Mary, you cant be off topic in the on topic forum with an off topic thread.

try saying that three times!

Nike: Just do it!

Well, the way I see it is that this web site has a whole bunch of forums targeted to specific types or classes of boats or specific groups of people. Most of those forums are not used much.

This forum is the only one that is not specific. It is described as: "This Forum is for a General Discussion for all sailors." It does not say discussion ABOUT sailing, just discussion for sailors.

Therefore, this basically IS the "off-topic forum." And I think that is the beauty of it. I love the variety and the flexibility. You can have random threads about recipes, books, videos, music, cars, skiing, environment, politics (pretty much anything that interests sailors, even if only a few), interspersed with all the nuts-and-bolts sailing threads about halyards and hull fixes and racing rules.

I love to read about the other things that sailors are interested in. It makes me feel more like I am part of a community of PEOPLE who share the common bond of sailing but also have other lives.

I would like to think that this Open Forum gives sailors the opportunity to share their other interests with fellow sailors. And everybody can read and contribute to whatever threads interest them. Something for everyone.

Am I wrong?

P.S. I have my personal forum page set for 30 threads per page, so when I open up the forum I can see all of the ones that are active and quickly glance through and see which ones interest me enough to open and read. No problem.

We are not proposing eliminating the GD forum as it is. I don't understand the resistance, you enjoy the non-sailing topics and GD forum serves that purpose you lose nothing by creating a sailing only forum.